The PlayStation 5 is coming to drain your wallet

Sony wants you to spend all of your money on yet another PlayStation console sometime in 2019.

The PlayStation 4 Pro may have been released less than a year ago, but one analyst suspects that the next model will be hitting stores as soon at next year.

Confirmation of the development of the PlayStation 5 came from PlayStation America boss Shawn Layden, but no specific details have been discussed. The goal will likely be to avoid releasing any more mid-generation upgrades for the PS4 with the focus instead on the next-gen console.

In an interview with GamingBolt, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said he doubts the next-gen system will be released until 2019 at the earliest, 2020 at the latest.

“Sony is probably timing it better because they are going to bring out a 4K capable device when the 4K TV market reaches 50% in the USA and 35% in the rest of the world,” Pachter said. This is a smart move on Sony’s part, but the constant release of updated systems can get overwhelming for users.

The primary issue for consumers is addressed in another part of the interview. Pachter refers to releases like the PS4 Pro as “half-step[s]” that make improvements to the PS4, and the release of the PS5 as another half-step. When a system costs $400 at release and more than three years later is still upwards of $250, you want it to last. People who have recently upgraded to the Pro—which now costs at least $300—could soon find it outdated as software developers keep pace with rapid hardware upgrades. Gamers who like to keep up with the latest tech are understandably grumpy about paying for smaller upgrades every two years instead of big upgrades every four to five years.

Still, there will be plenty of gamers excited about the improved graphics that come with 4K compatibility, as well as the power and storage upgrades that typically come with each new model.